Infrared Inspection of New Roofs

The feasibility of using infrared cameras to detect wet insulation during the typical 1-year warranty period for new Army roofs was studied. Both the ability to gain moisture and the manner of wetting of insulations were of major concern. Although some insulations take on moisture much slower than others, 8 to 10 months usually is ample time for most insulations to absorb enough moisture to be detectable by an infrared camera. However, the early signs of this moisture as seen with the infrared camera differ with insulation type. Basically, boards of slower-wetting cellular plastic insulations initially wet at their perimeters, whereas highly absorbent fibrous insulations tend to wet more or less uniformly. An infrared camera is well suited for finding the typically small and sometimes irregularly shaped wet areas on a new roof. A specification incorporating this technology should now be tested.